Mastering Quick Double Strokes: Gospel Drummers' Secrets Unveiled

Drumming is made up of single and double strokes, and mastering the latter can be one of the most difficult tasks for students. Drummers who want to play gospel music need to be able to play quick double strokes, and there are several ways to achieve this. One way is to practice accenting the second stroke of each double, using your full wrist motion to get each one clean and powerful. Another is to practice on a pillow, which has little to no rebound, so that every stroke is a result of your wrist movement. Drummers can also try displacing their doubles, or playing inverted doubles, to change the feel and orchestration around the kit. Using the note value tree and studying the roll rudiments are also ways to improve quick double strokes.

Practice at different volume levels

Drumming can be broken down into two fundamental techniques: single strokes and double strokes. The double stroke roll is one of the most important rudiments for drummers to master, as it forms the basis for many other techniques. To play a double stroke roll, you alternate between two strokes on one hand, followed by two strokes on the other hand. This can be practised on a practice pad or a single drum, and then moved to the drum set.

One of the keys to mastering the double stroke roll is to practice at various dynamic levels. This includes practising at very soft, medium, and loud volume levels. This will give you more control over the roll, allowing you to play it more smoothly and quickly. It's important to be patient and not rush through the different volume levels, as it takes time and consistent practice to master this technique.

When practising at different volume levels, start with a slow tempo and gradually increase the speed as you become more comfortable. You can use a metronome to help you keep a steady tempo. Start with quarter notes, then move to 8th notes, 8th note triplets, 16th notes, 16th note triplets, and finally 32nd notes.

Additionally, try practising on different surfaces. A surface with little to no rebound, such as a pillow or a floor tom, will help you build forearm strength and improve your wrist technique. This will translate to better control and speed when you move back to a regular practice pad or drum kit.

By practising the double stroke roll at different volume levels and on different surfaces, you'll develop greater control, consistency, and speed in your playing. Remember to be patient and give yourself time to build up your skills gradually.

Practice with locked grip

To get quick double strokes, gospel drummers can practice with a locked grip. This involves holding the drumsticks at the very end with a loose grip, allowing them to function as an extension of your arm. This grip restricts the rebound of the stick, so practicing on a pillow or couch arm is recommended. Drummers should focus on using their wrists to strike the pillow, aiming for a clean and powerful sound. This exercise should be done for 5-10 minutes every day, helping to improve wrist control and overall technique.

When practicing with a locked grip, it's important to start with a very loose grip and ensure you can bounce the stick off the surface before adding more fingers to the stick. This gradual process helps to develop a feel for the double strokes and improves control over the sticks. Drummers should also experiment with different grips, such as taking various fingers off the stick, to increase finger control and awareness of their grip.

Additionally, practicing at various dynamic levels, from very soft to very loud, will give drummers more control over the roll, enabling them to play smoother and faster. Drummers should also strive for equal volume strokes with each hand, eliminating any accent from the second stroke to allow for a cleaner and faster roll.

Displace your doubles

Displacing your doubles is a great way to change up the feel and orchestration of your kit. Drummers can use beat displacement to create new beats without too much effort. This technique involves moving a particular note from where it would normally be to a new position in relation to the other notes.

To displace your doubles, rather than playing square/regular doubles (RRLLRRLLRRLL), play inverted doubles (RLLRRLLRRLLR). Work this pattern around the kit with the bass drum on every quarter note. Start with the right hand leading, then switch to the left. Get comfortable with switching between square doubles and inverted doubles and how the sound changes. This is a more musical way to apply your practice.

Use the note value tree

Drumming can be broken down into single strokes and double strokes, and most things we play are just a combination of these. To improve your double strokes, you can use the note value tree to practice cycling your doubles between different note values.

The note value tree shows how notes are related to each other in terms of duration. Each note value is half as long as the preceding one. The whole note is the longest note in general use today, with a duration of 4 quarter notes. The half note is half as long as the whole note, with a duration of 2 quarter notes. The quarter note is half as long as the half note, and so on.

Using the note value tree, practice cycling your double strokes between quarter notes, 8th notes, 8th note triplets, 16th notes, 16th note triplets, and 32nd notes. Try this exercise with a metronome at 60 BPM to improve your timing and speed.

By practicing with different note values, you'll be able to develop more control over your double strokes and improve your overall drumming technique.

Study the roll rudiments

Drumming can be broken down into two fundamental components: single strokes and double strokes. The double stroke roll is a critical rudiment that underpins many other rudiments and is used in drum fills, beats, solos, and more. It is one of the first skills every new drummer should learn.

To study the roll rudiments, it is important to understand the technique behind playing double strokes. At slow to medium tempos, the first stroke is played primarily with the wrist, while the second stroke is played with the fingers, using an "alley-oop" technique. This allows the stick to rebound to the "up" position by itself, which is preferable as it lets the second stroke rebound with high velocity and avoids dampening its resonance.

As the tempo increases, the technique must be adjusted. At medium-fast tempos, the second stroke becomes a downstroke, with the fingers accelerating the stroke by grabbing the stick into the palm. At fast tempos, the forearm takes over, with minimal wrist movement, and the first two fingers play the second strokes. This technique ensures that the second stroke matches the sound and dynamic level of the first.

To improve your double strokes, it is essential to practice consistently. Start by mastering the double stroke roll at slower speeds, ensuring that each hand produces consistent and even-sounding doubles. Use full wrist turns to play each stroke, and check your stick heights to ensure uniformity. As you increase the tempo, the second stroke will naturally start bouncing off the snare drum or practice pad. At this point, focus on using wrist motion to play your double strokes, which will help build forearm strength.

In addition to practicing the basic double stroke roll, you can incorporate it into drum beats and fills. Start with a simple four-on-the-floor bass drum pattern, hitting the bass drum on each quarter note, the snare drum on count 3, and the first 8th note on each double stroke. Once comfortable, double the 8th notes on each tom to complete the double stroke roll drum beat.

Another exercise is to play an alternating single stroke roll between the hi-hat and the snare drum, with the left hand on the snare playing ghosted notes and the right hand playing at a normal volume on the hi-hat. On counts 2 and 4, bring the right hand down on the snare drum to play accented strokes. Once you've mastered this, add the bass drum on all the 8th notes. Finally, introduce the double strokes, represented by a diagonal line on the note stems in the sheet music.

By studying the roll rudiments and incorporating them into your practice routine, you will improve your double strokes and unlock new possibilities in your drumming.

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